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Getting all of my teeth removed TERRIFIED

L

littlecrittle

Junior member
Joined
Feb 12, 2011
Messages
19
In 2 weeks I'm having all of my teeth removed. I'm only 25, and have been severely neglecting them. The dentist said he could save about 2/3rds of my teeth but it would be way more expensive than I can afford so I decided I wanted them all removed. I won't be put to sleep because I can't afford the cost. I know I'm going to freak out because just thinking about it I get shaky and nausiated, and it's still 2 weeks away. He said he would give me Valium to take the day before and day of, but I've never taken it, and am worried that it won't be enough to calm me. Any tips/suggestions?
 
In 2 weeks I'm having all of my teeth removed. I'm only 25, and have been severely neglecting them. The dentist said he could save about 2/3rds of my teeth but it would be way more expensive than I can afford so I decided I wanted them all removed. I won't be put to sleep because I can't afford the cost. I know I'm going to freak out because just thinking about it I get shaky and nausiated, and it's still 2 weeks away. He said he would give me Valium to take the day before and day of, but I've never taken it, and am worried that it won't be enough to calm me. Any tips/suggestions?


First off I'm sorry you are having to go through this, I just had one molar yanked and don't read my post about it either, it's not a normal case. As long as you are numb it's no real biggy. When my dentist finally got me numb the extraction lasted two seconds. It was surprisingly easy. It's the numbing that was bad for me.

If I were you I would ask for a Xanax instead of Valium. For me, Valium did nothing. Xanax is much stronger IMO and works great. You will need someone to drive you home remember .

Good luck you will be relieved as I was to rid yourself of the pain from bad teeth. Once they are gone, they can't hurt anymore ,;D
 
LukeM also offers sympathy in this time of need. That sucks. :(

To be honest with you littlecrittle, depending on the state of your teeth (which you didn't specify) if any are loose... then they will be a breeze to pop out. I've experienced extractions under both GA and LA so I know how both feel - having loose ones whipped out, and ones that are stuck firmly in place too (again in both LA and GA).

If any are loose you'll hardly feel a thing. Promise. You can of course ask the dentist to stop at any time!

I'd say the worst thing you would feel is probably a bit of pulling and it might feel a bit tight around the tooth but once it's out you won't notice!

Your dentist is there to help. The drugs will help... and you'll wonder why you worried so much :respect: respect to you for having them all out in one go you're brave enough for even considering it I think! :(
 
can you not have IV sedation ?? i would highly recommend this for tooth extraction, had it twice myself, last time was almost a yr ago to extract 2 rotten and abcessed teeth, the whole procedure was a success and over with before i knew anything about it once the IV goes in .... good luck and i send you lots of healing and positive energy xx:grouphug:
 
This breaks my heart- personally at age 25 and 2/3 savable teeth, I think what he is doing is close to unethical..... can he give you a treatment plan that addresses the urgent issues first. If you are in the UK what happened to the NHS, if you are in the US, please try a dental school, or free clinic and get a second opinion. .
 
This breaks my heart- personally at age 25 and 2/3 savable teeth, I think what he is doing is close to unethical..... can he give you a treatment plan that addresses the urgent issues first. If you are in the UK what happened to the NHS, if you are in the US, please try a dental school, or free clinic and get a second opinion. .


I'm in the US and to my surprise Dallas dental school at Baylor is not free! I swear 20 years ago it was. I was told at my advanced age of 50, they want to yank all of my teeth and do full dentures to the tune of 1.400.00. And if you don't follow the treatment plan, it's a no go. You must pay all up front and do exactly what they say, so for me it's a hopeless situation.

I asked what to the homeless do and they said, beats us? They yank and eat mashed potatoes. I was appalled to find out there is basically no helpl for us poor folk, not even at the college.
 
In 2 weeks I'm having all of my teeth removed. I'm only 25, and have been severely neglecting them. The dentist said he could save about 2/3rds of my teeth but it would be way more expensive than I can afford so I decided I wanted them all removed. I won't be put to sleep because I can't afford the cost. I know I'm going to freak out because just thinking about it I get shaky and nausiated, and it's still 2 weeks away. He said he would give me Valium to take the day before and day of, but I've never taken it, and am worried that it won't be enough to calm me. Any tips/suggestions?

Agree with RP, you should not be removing savable teeth at age 25. It is unethical to do this, you can't put them back and you could well come to regret this.
If you are in UK, NHS covers restorative care in theory everything you need for 198 quid max. I guess therefore you are in USA.
It is worth borrowing to save your teeth at age 25, there are lots of self-esteem issues caught up in the matter after all. Have you found your life partner yet for instance?
Seriously do not do this if there is anyway you can get some fixed. You can do it gradually. I suspect you are not in the best hands having been given such blase advice...'yes 2/3 savable but would cost more...duh' ...are we talking root canals and crowns or simple fillings here. If you don't know the answer to this, you haven't given proper informed consent. Please please get a second opinion.

Also just so you know, I'm told top dentures are much easier to get used to than bottom ones...so it maybe worth making a priority of saving as many bottom teeth as possible.
 
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In the US an implant is 3.600 bucks, a root canal 1.500 and up for a molar, less for smaller front teeth, my dentist charged 340 to pull one tooth. The dental college wants 500 a crown but they have to agree and set that plan . It's very expensive and when I had insurance I only had 1.500 per year.
 
Before you get all your saveable teeth out, call around every dentist in the yellow pages and ask if they do any pro bono work. Send an email explaining your situation. I'm sure if you knock on enough doors, so to speak, you'll find at least one compassionate dentist who will either do the work free (tax write off) or give you a price you can afford.

Do not get teeth that can be saved pulled at age 25.
 
Thank you all for your concern. My teeth are weak to begin with, add in that I didn't take care of them like I should have...they are in pretty bad shape, plus they are extremely crooked, and I was ashamed to smile even when they were in good shape. Really I want to have them all removed so I don't have to worry about them anymore, it will be much more cost efficient in the long run. My dentist told me that he didn't think it was my best option so he's not at fault in any way. I live in the US, and healthcare plan is terrible. My dentist is for low income people, and compared to what my brother in law had to pay for his procedure I'm paying next to nothing, this includes regular relining of my immediate dentures, and permanent ones after 6 months.

I did try the nearest dental college, and there is a huge waiting line, and it will still cost me more than I can afford.

I've had 4 teeth removed in the last 2 years, and every time I kind of freak out. Even though each time has been nearly painless when I feel the pressure, and hear the cracking of the teeth, and such my mind kind of projects this into pain, and panic. I don't know why I do this, I haven't had any bad experiences. I alway managed to get through it, but that was one tooth at a time. I don't know if I can handle all of them at one time, being able to see, and hear what is going on, which is why I'm hoping this Valium he giving me will put me into a state of mind where I just don't give a d**n.
 
I wouldn't go down without a fight, you wrote somewhere else you have 29 teeth - that's a full mouth minus a couple wisdom teeth. Get a tooth by tooth treatment plan, decay doesn't spread that fast. you should have time. It's taking me over 2 years to get all my work done, broken down into parts I can tolerate and afford and I'm over 50. Maybe just starting with a cleaning will give you some hope as your teeth will look and feel so much better.

I personally can't imagine being awake to have 29 teeth removed either......I really think you need another opinion.

At the age of 25, your life circumstances can change dramaticaly as far as finding a life partner, getting an education, new job opportunites....but as butterfly said this is not s decision you can go back and change.

Way2scared this person is half your age, so you got to keep your teeth twice as long in your life. There are many more complications like bone loss and gum disease and just the aging process that makes your situation totally different. Baylor is a world class facility, I'm sure they don't do anything with the underserved in mind. Especially considering you have no input in your treatment plan either- is that how they are training dental students?
 
In 2 weeks I'm having all of my teeth removed. I'm only 25, and have been severely neglecting them. The dentist said he could save about 2/3rds of my teeth but it would be way more expensive than I can afford so I decided I wanted them all removed. I won't be put to sleep because I can't afford the cost. I know I'm going to freak out because just thinking about it I get shaky and nausiated, and it's still 2 weeks away. He said he would give me Valium to take the day before and day of, but I've never taken it, and am worried that it won't be enough to calm me. Any tips/suggestions?

It's crazy for a 25yr old to have this many salvageable teeth extracted. Not sure where you live, but unless it's some third world country, I think any dentist/surgeon who participates in this procedure is irresponsible and should lose their license.

Try and find a dental college or school who might do the work cheaply. Or look into applying for welfare/medicaid. I'd go so far as to try and get a loan.

I know this is a support forum and sorry if this isn't supportive. There are worse things in the world than losing all your teeth, I guess. But at 25, you should try and avoid it if at all possible. You're too young with too much life ahead of you to make such an irreversible decision like this in imo.
 
I understand what you're saying. It does seem a bit drastic, but I've decided I want to go through with this. Maybe for the wrong reasons I guess. Money is a big issue for me. I am married, and have to children with a mortgage. My husband hurt his back a about 2 years ago helping a friend push a race car, and he hasn't been a able to work a steady job since. We're trying to get him on disability or some sort of compensation, but it's not really looking good. When we bought our house we were both working, and had decent health insurance, and weren't really worried about money, but after he stopped being able to work we got into debt....blah blah. We're just now starting to work our way out since I got a raise and promotion at my job (which I love).

Point being If i wait until my debts are paid off I probably could get a loan, and get the work I need done, but it would be more debt for teeth that will probably only last 20 years max. Add in the cost of regular care for them. I feel like it would just be easier to pay the little bit now, and never worry about them again...if I can muster the strength to go through it anyway.

PS, my husband is also getting his teeth removed, but none of his are savable.

28 teeth, not 29. sorry
 
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I'm so sorry to near your problems but can understand where you're coming from. If you believe keeping your teeth will present you with years of problems and expense you can ill afford this may be the best route for you.

Having all your teeth removed at such a young age is rather drastic but you have to do what you feel is right for you. Everyone's comments on here are well meant, we've all been there in one way or another and want the help in any way we can.

I was told I had to have all my teeth removed last year, please feel free to read my sucsess (learning to smile again) it may help. I had my top out and will be having the bottoms out in a couple of months, I chose to have them done in two stages. I was awake for the procedure and can honestly say it wasn't too bad and I had some teeth which were broken at the gum line too.

It's been said many times on here that it's a state of mind and I totally agree, once you've made the decision try to look upon it as a positive thing. I told myself I was finally getting rid of the awful teeth which would only get worse if kept.

Whatever you decide I wish you the best of luck, please keep in touch and let us all know how you get on.
 
Sorry that I posted my financial problems on here, but I just want everyone to understand why I'm making such a drastic decision.

I also want everyone to understand that my dentist did advise against this, so please don't look down on him...yet. We'll see how the actual procedure goes first.

I am frightened because.....well I'm having all of my teeth extracted at once, while being awake. Hopefully the valium will help, but also because this is a low-income clinic, and like I said, I'm paying next to nothing what if the service isn't up to par?

A few people I work with have used this clinic, and have nothing bad to say about it, but none of them had such major procedures done either.

I think tomorrow I'm going to call the clinic, and annoy the staff with 1,000 questions.
 
I also want everyone to understand that my dentist did advise against this, so please don't look down on him...yet.

I do look down on him because I'm sure he earns more than enough to sort you out for free/reduced cost, if he chose to do so - you can be this year's charity case, whatever it takes.
Like I said, what would be involved in saving them? ..if you don't really know...you are making the drastic decision without full information.

Just a top denture might be a much better option with the bottom ones fixed over time - at least then you would have a pretty smile straightaway.
I'm relieved to hear you are already married though - at least you can support each other through.
It is entirely possible your circumstances will change for the better financially in the near future so consider a more gradual approach. Dentures also need maintenance so it does not stop dental visits entirely.
Go on some denture forums and see what people say - there could well be some charitable dentistry options available for you as well, state dental boards would probably have details for your area.
:grouphug:
 
RP, when I went to baylor You first have to call on Wednesday between the hours of 8:30 till10:00 a.m. Or something like that, no calls are taken on any other days. The phone was always busy so it took 3 weeks trying to get an appointment. Then we paid 57 each for hubby and I for x-rays an exams and then they tell you what they will and will not do.

For me they said yank and do dentures 1,400 up front, no credit and if I don't have all the money and show up when they say I'm out. 3 strike rule if your late or miss appointment w/o 24 hr notice your out and no refunds and no matter where in the process they are.

For hubby he has crowns that fell out on front so he wanted a bridge or upper denture and they said no, 5.300.00 for him for crowns and a bridge.




If you don't agree your out and don't call them, they will call you AND it may be in 3 weeks, 3 months, or even 3 years, just depends on when they need a guineas pig.

Once apron a time, it was free or low cost.

Not any more

My hubby said they are training them to be the crooks they are from the starting Gate! Lol
 
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From the starting gate. I cannot reach bottom of message to edit, sorry



RP, I was not suggesting the young person agree or disagree with their procedure. I simply was trying to console her for what she is about to go through. I do not know her circumstances or why that dentist chose to take all her teeth.

I do know that from my standpoint, money means everything. So if you do not have the funds you are screwed even at the dental college as I found out.
 
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From the starting gate. I cannot reach bottom of message to edit, sorry



RP, I was not suggesting the young person agree or disagree with their procedure. I simply was trying to console her for what she is about to go through. I do not know her circumstances or why that dentist chose to take all her teeth.

I do know that from my standpoint, money means everything. So if you do not have the funds you are screwed even at the dental college as I found out.

A sad state of affairs and doesn't bode well for the ethics, customer service skills of future graduates as you say. If you don't learn ideal care as a student, how can you be expected to know what it is afterwards?
 
A sad state of affairs and doesn't bode well for the ethics, customer service skills of future graduates as you say. If you don't learn ideal care as a student, how can you be expected to know what it is afterwards?



I don't think it's just dentists that are having issues with money. The entire US is under some sort of transition or de flation process which worries me greatly.

I tried to get a better price on this tooth I needed extracted and I can say I got the guy to agree to do it for 100 bucks, but I paid dearly in another way. Pain lol. This may or may not have been his fault. I hope he wasn't angered that I asked for a discount but I'm not doing this again. Already looking into Mexico.

Anyway, I think many professionals are finding themselves deep in debt and more and more folks are loosing jobs, insurance etc etc. It's scary. Take the housing as an example. If you paid top dollar for your house and now it's worth only a fraction you are going to go broke trying to keep it. I'm sure dentists have huge expenses and high salaries to pay and with all the competition and folks having less money, I bet it's taking a bite out of their budgets too. No pun intended lol

I do know this, I am a retired PI and being a nosey peep I wondered if this guy that yanked my tooth had a big house and sure enough he does lol

Who needs a 7 thousand square foot house? Dentist do I guess. Lol
 
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